This invention relates to boats which have boarding platforms secured to the stern end wall of the boat at a level slightly above the water line, as many pleasure cruisers do. In general, such boarding platforms are structurally integrated with the vessel and constitute permanent obstructions which are outstanding from the boat hull. The platforms are fabricated of high strength, rigid material, for example, fiberglass-wood veneer laminates, and are spaced slightly from the stern end wall of the boat by the brackets which attached to this wall to support the swimmer's platform in cantilevered position.
The substantial internal combustion, marine engines for such boats normally require heavy-duty components, which can be subjected to extended periods of heavy load, and also are able to resist the corrosive action of salt or brackish water. Such marine engines are located within the hull of the boat, but have an outdrive housing projecting rearwardly from the stern end wall of the boat at the lower end thereof, centrally of the stern end wall of the boat. Because of its construction, this outdrive housing may be referred to as the gimbal housing assembly, and it should be understood that it detachably couples to a drive transfer and propeller shaft housing which mounts a propeller on a propeller shaft extending generally horizontally from the lower end of a skeg casing portion.
The latter propeller-incorporating unit is formed with what is termed a bell housing portion which is received within a bell housing bore provided on the gimbal housing assembly. It has a universal jointed drive shaft projecting into and splined to the tubular drive sleeve which projects from the gimbal housing assembly into the bell housing bore. Studs are provided on the gimbal housing assembly to project from it around the bell housing bore, and nuts are provided to releasably clamp the propeller-incorporating drive unit, which has openings receiving the threaded studs, to the gimbal housing assembly.
It is frequently desirable to disassemble the heavy and cumbersome drive unit from the gimbal housing assembly for purposes of maintenance and repair, and normally a lifting eye is provided on the upper end of the drive unit to permit the connection of a suitable support sling. When a swimmer's boarding platform is in place, however, the drive unit cannot be supported from a support above the platform because the platform is in an obstructing location.